APHIS will accept proposals for FY 2018 NCPN cooperative agreements from July 17, 2017 through October 6, 2017.

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2017 − The NCPN provides high-quality, propagated plant material that is free of plant pathogens and pests that can cause economic losses to the American specialty crop industry. USDA’s goal is to create an effective, uniform, consistent, efficient, and highly self-sufficient network of clean plant centers serving the needs of specialty crop industry.

Funding will be provided to Land-Grant Universities, Non Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, State Governments, and Federal Agencies to support implementation and ongoing activities of the NCPN.

Funding priority is given to programs that address covered specialty crops and help develop and maintain a comprehensive, cohesive, and efficient clean plant network to address clean plant needs for diagnostics, therapy, and the establishment of foundations. NCPN funded specialty crops have focused on grapes, fruit trees, citrus, hops, berries, roses, and sweet potatoes.

About $5 million in cooperative agreements are anticipated to be awarded under the NCPN section of Farm Bill 2014 Section 10007. APHIS will announce the FY2018 projects selected for funding in the NCPN spending plan in late 2017. Once USDA issues its spending plan, successful candidates will then conclude their application process through ezFedGrants.

Detailed submission instructions for submitting proposals and an explanation of the evaluation process are available by reviewing the “NCPN FY 2018 Request for Proposals” document found on the APHIS Farm Bill Section 10007 website here: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/section10007/ncpn

For FY 2018, applicants shall not submit an application to Grants.gov as in years past. Rather applicants shall submit proposals and associated material directly to USDA, APHIS at ncpn@aphis.usda.gov

Submissions at this RFP stage should consist of harmonized work plans submitted by several applicants jointly for a specific crop or individual applicant work plans; associated financial plans; and any other requested documentation as per the RFP.

Questions about the FY 2018 Request for Proposals and review process should be directed to ncpn@aphis.usda.gov